Packaging panel



Jan. 15,1963

2 She ets-Sheet- 1 INVENTOR (7159/0- AMos 5 Hancock A9 j? W Z I 17/5 ATTORNEY A. E. HEACOCK 3,073,476

Jan. 15, 1963 Filed Feb. 16, 1956 A. E. HEACOCK 3,073,476 PACKAGING PANEL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A9 /a a INVENTOR 14/405 ,6. fle-Acocw ll/S ATTORNEY United States Patent Office 3,073,475 Patented Jan. 15, .1963

3,073,476 PACKAGING PANEL Amos E. Heacock, 2774 70th St. SE., Mercer Island, Wash. Filed Feb. 16, 1956, Ser. No. 565,929 3 Claims. (Cl. 220-4) This invention relates to a packaging panel or device, and has for one of its objects the production of a simple and eflicient panel formed of sheet aluminum or other suitable material, and which is so constructed as to facilitate the assembly of a series of similarly constructed panels in interlocking abutting relation to form a container, a packaging device, a transport device, a shelter, or other assembly, where a plurality of quickly and easily assembled, light and inexpensively constructed units are desirable.

A further object of this invention is the production of a simple and efficient panel which is formed of light metal or other suitable material and which is so constructed as to be thoroughly reinforced to provide a rigid packaging panel, and to carry an insulating and reinforcing corrugated cardboard filler to add wall thickness, rigidity and strength without adding materially to the weight of the panel.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention Will appear throughout the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the panel;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of a series of interconnected panels forming a crate, certain parts being broken away and being shown in section;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the panel, a portion thereof being shown in section;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a container formed from a series of panels;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating a key locking means;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 2;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary top plan view illustrating the manner of assembling a plurality of panels end-to-end in substantially the same plane to form a transport device or platform;

FIGURE 9 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 9-9 of FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the locking keys, illustrating the bolt receiving socket in one end to receive a bolt carried by a companion key;

FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary enlarged longitudinal sectional view of a modified form of the panel.

By referring to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that 10 designates the body section of the panel, Which preferably constitutes a flat sheet of aluminum, although it is not desired to limit the invention to the use of such material. Any suitable material may be used within the scope of the invention. The body 10 is preferably provided with a plurality of flutes or corrugations 11 for reinforcing purposes. The body 10 is provided with inturned edging wall 12 having inwardly extending relatively narrow overhanging terminal ledge flanges 13. These terminal flanges are mitered and welded at the corners of the panels to provide a continuous overhanging ledge around the edge of the panel, as shown in FIGURE 1, and defining marginal filler receiving pockets.

The body 10 is also provided with central cross reinforcing channel ribs 14 and 15 upon the inner face thereof, which are welded into position. These ribs 14 and 15 divide the inner area of the panel into four equal shallow filler receiving compartments in which are carried reinforcing and insulating removable fillers or filler sections formed of corrugated cardboard or other material, as indicated at 16. One such panel is shown in position in FIGURES l and 3. Suitable longitudinal reinforcing channel ribs 17 are preferably carried by the bottom face of the body 10 to elevate the body 10 so that a lift may be inserted thereunder to facilitate transportation of the package or container formed of a series of panels as illustrated. Marginal edges of the filler fit Within the marginal filler receiving pockets to reinforce the body 10 and to brace the inturned edging walls 11.

The body 10 is provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced squared or rectangular sleeves 18 along its edge-s, preferably welded to the outer face of the edging wall 12. These sleeves 18 are carried by .all four edges of the panel, and upon the respective opposite edges the sleeves 18 are arranged in staggered relation so that the sleeves of one panel will interfit between the sleeves of an abutting or companion panel in a manner shown in FIGURE 2. Longitudinal keys or bars 19 pass through the sleeves 18 upon two opposite sides of the panels when assembled, and transverse keys or bars 20 extend through the sleeves 18 at right angles to the keys or bars 19 when the panels are assembled to define a crate, package or boX, as shown in FIGURES 2 and 5. In this way, six panels may be locked together to provide a six-sided enclosure, box or the like, as shown in FIGURES 2 and 5.

To hold the keys or bars 19 and 20 in place and against accidental displacement, the bars 20 preferably carry spring-pressed plungers or lugs at each end, such as the lug 2 1, for yieldably engaging sockets in the ends of the keys or bars 19, such as the socket 22 shown in FIGURE 6. In the form shown, the plunger or lug 21 is provided with a socket 23 for receiving a tool which may be inserted through the slot 24 in the adjacent sleeve 18 so that an operator may retract the lug 21 from the socket 22 and permit the keys or bars 19 and 20 to be removed when the panels are disassembled. The keys or bars, if desired, may be sealed in position by means of a conventional seal 25.

A series of panels 10 may be assembled, as stated, in interlocked relation, as shown in FIGURES 2 and 5, to form a package, container, crate, box or the like, or a series of panels 10 may be assembled in end abutting relation as shown in detail in FIGURES 8 and 9, and locked in interfitting relation by the keys or bars. In this Way the panels may be assembled for many uses, such as a shelter, as a platform, or even as a trailer or truck body, within the scope of the invention.

It is not desired to limit the invention to the exact shape illustrated, since many shapes may be employed so far as the panel itself is concerned. Furthermore, it is not desired to limit the shape of the sleeves 18 and the bars 19 and 20, to a square transverse structure since the same may be angular, rectangular, triangular, polygonal, or in other forms which may be advisable to meet specific shipping requirements. However, the sleeves and keys or bars by being square in cross section produce a rigid and sturdy interlocking structure between the panels whether mounted at right angles to each other or in end-to-end abutting relation as shown. By means of the structure illustrated, it is not necessary to employ auxiliary bracing means to hold the panels in their respective assembled positions.

Certain detail changes in structure and design may be made in the panel, within the scope of the invention, so long as these changes fall within the. scope of the appended claims. It should be further understood that any desired number of sleeves 18 may be used upon each panel within the scope of the invention. Furthermore, as shown in FIGURE 11, the inner face of the panel 10 may be covered by a flat sheet of aluminum, or other material 12 to seal in a suitable filler 16 A sleeve 18 is carried by the panel as shown. The sheet 12 may be welded or otherwise secured to the ledge flange 13 The filler 16 may be of honeycomb plastic impregnated cellular paper or styrofoam. A rigid solidified plastic foam may be used as an alternative to corrugated paperboard to stiffen and strengthen the panel and give thickness to the panel with maximum strength and minimum weight, all within the scope of the present invention. Also the cross channel ribs 14 and'15, shown in FIGURE 1, may be eliminated without departing from the spirit of the invention.

It will be noted that the marginal edges of the filler fit within the marginal pockets to hold the edges of the filler against displacement. This filler is formed preferably of corrugated cardboard and the marginal edges thereof snugly fit within the marginal pockets. It will be noted further that the rectangular sleeves 18 fit flat against the outer face of an abutting edging wall and are fixed thereto. Each sleeve is provided with one face which is flush with the adjacent edge of the flange, and a second face is flush with the outer face of the body section in a manner to form a continuation between two body sections when they are assembled. The sleeves 18 of one body section are adapted to interfit between the sleeves of a companion body section, and these sleeves receive the rectangular or square key, such as the key 19, to rigidly lock the body sections in a selected position relative to a companion section. These keys overlap as clearly shown in detail in FIGURE 6, at the corners of the body sections, and locking or latching elements such as the plunger or lug 21 shown in FIGURE 6 will provide for locking the ends of the keys together at the corner of the body section.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new is:

1. A packaging panel comprising a square body of panlike conformation, a reenforcing filler within said panlike body, at least two sleeves of uniform length similarly mounted along each side of said body, each of said sleeves being square in cross section with one face in flush en gagement with a side of the body, one of said sleeveWt along each side of the body being positioned at a terminal of the side and the other of said sleeves being symmetrically spaced from the first sleeve and from the terminal of the side remote from the first sleeve, and a locking key square in cross section passed through the sleeves along each side of said body, the terminals of adjacent locking keys being interengaged to prevent accidental disengagemerit of said keys from said sleeves.

2. A packaging panel comprising a body of square shape, sleeves square in cross section similarly mounted along each side of said body, one face of each of said sleeves being in flush engagement with a side of said body, the sleeves along opposite sides of said body being in staggered symmetrical relation to each other to permit interlocking and interfitting of similarly constructed abutting panels, a locking key square in cross section, removably fitted longitudinally through said sleeves for attaching said panel to an adjacent like panel, and complementary means carried by opposite terminals of said locking key for interlocking the terminals of adjacent keys, to prevent accidental disengagement of said keys from said sleeves.

3. A packaging panel comprising a square body of panlike conformation, a reinforcing filler within said pan-like body, at least two sleeves of uniform length similarly mounted along each side of said body, each of said sleeves being polygonal in cross section with uniform sides and angles, one face of each of said polygonal sleeves being in fiush engagement with a side of the body, one of said sleeves along each side of the body being positioned at a terminal of the side and the other of said sleeves being symmetrically spaced from the first sleeve and from the terminal of the side remote from the first sleeve, and a locking key polygonal in cross section passed through the sleeves along each side of said body, the terminals of adjacent locking keys being interengaged to prevent accidental disengagement of said keys from said sleeves.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 894,638 Heim July 28, 1908 1,099,847 Doble et al June 9, 1914 1,296,272 Doble Mar. 4, 1919 2,042,721 Loewy June 2, 1936 2,057,942 Fay Oct. 20, 1936 2,097,598 Pavlecka Nov. 2, 1937 2,256,791 Schroeder Sept. 23, 1941 2,489,670 Powell Nov. 29, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 103,117 Switzerland Jan. 16, 1924 

1. A PACKAGING PANEL COMPRISING A SQUARE BODY OF PANLIKE CONFORMATION, A REENFORCING FILLER WITHIN SAID PANLIKE BODY, AT LEAST TWO SLEEVES OF UNIFORM LENGTH SIMILARLY MOUNTED ALONG EACH SIDE OF SAID BODY, EACH OF SAID SLEEVES BEING SQUARE IN CROSS SECTION WITH ONE FACE IN FLUSH ENGAGEMENT WITH A SIDE OF THE BODY, ONE OF SAID SLEEVES ALONG EACH SIDE OF THE BODY BEING POSITIONED AT A TERMINAL OF THE SIDE AND THE OTHER OF SAID SLEEVES BEING SYMMETRICALLY SPACED FROM THE FIRST SLEEVE AND FROM THE TERMINAL OF THE SIDE REMOTE FROM THE FIRST SLEEVE, AND A LOCKING KEY SQUARE IN CROSS SECTION PASSED THROUGH THE SLEEVES ALONG EACH SIDE OF SAID BODY, THE TERMINALS OF ADJACENT LOCKING KEYS BEING INTERENGAGED TO PREVENT ACCIDENTAL DISENGAGEMENT OF SAID KEYS FROM SAID SLEEVES. 